tire pressure Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 Owner's Manuals

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the
most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly. Remember:
Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time to apply
your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead
to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
4-8

Hydroplaning C ‘vir T’ lough --
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen
if the road is wet enough and
you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low.
It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reflections
from trees, telephone poles or other vehicles, and
raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t
a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice
is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come
in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If
you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
owing W
-
:er
-
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces.
If you try to drive through flowing
water, as you might
at a low water crossing,
your vehicle can be carried away.
As little as
six inches of flowing water can carry away
a
smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown. Don’t ignore police warning signs, and otherwise be very
cautious about trying to drive through flowing
water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared
to have your
view restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires
on page 5-52.
4-30

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to
move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are
going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
- such as after a day’s
work
- don’t plan to make too many miles that first
part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts
in dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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0
e
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservior full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-33

Towing Loading Your Vehicle
Towing
Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing”
(towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any
OJ
its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be
towed, see “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this section. The
Certificationflire label is found on the driver’s door
edge, above the door latch. The label shows the
size of your original tires and the inflation pressures
needed to obtain the gross weight capacity of your
vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel, cargo and trailer tongue
weight,
if pulling a trailer.

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
............................................................ Service 5.3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle 5.4
Fuel 5.5
......................................................
................................................................
Gasoline Octane ............................................ 5.5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................... 5.5
California Fuel
............................................... 5.6
Filling Your lank
............................................ 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
....................... 5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood .................... 5-10
Hood Release
.............................................. 5-10
Engine Compartment Overview
....................... 5-12
Engine
Oil ................................................... 5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
............................... 5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid
......................... 5-20
Engine Coolant
............................................. 5-22
Radiator Pressure Cap
.................................. 5-24
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5-24
Cooling System
............................................ 5-26
Engine Fan Noise
.................................. 5-32
Power Steering Fluid
.................... ..... 5-33
....................................................... Additives 5.6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
............................... 5-6 Windshield
Washer Fluid
................................ 5-33
Brakes
........................................................ 5-34
Battery
........................................................ 5-38
Jump Starting
.......... ............................. 5-39
All-Wheel Drive ............. ......................... 5-44
Rear Axle ....................................................... 5-46
Bulb Replacement .......................................... 5.47
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps
................... 5.47
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5.48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement .............. 5.49
.............................................................. Tires 5.52
Inflation
.. lire Pressure ................................ 5.53
lire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5.53
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5.56
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
.......................... 5.57
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5.58
lire Chains
.................................................. 5.60
Accessory Inflator
......................................... 5.60
If a lire Goes Flat ........................................ 5.61
When It
Is Time
for New Tires ....................... 5-55
Wheel Alignment and lire Balance
.................. 5-58
Changing a Flat lire
..................................... 5-62
5-
1

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see your Oldsmobile Warranty booklet for details.
I
Poorly maintained and imprope -
are dangerous.
-
used tires
Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have
an air-out and a
serious accident. See “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut,
punctured or broken by a sudden impact
- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires have been damaged, replace them.
5-52

Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationnire label, which is on the driver’s door
edge, above the door latch, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means
your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours
or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Notice: Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation
or overinflation
is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can get
the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
0 Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you
can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure
to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping
out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles (12 500 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment.
Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. See When It Is Time
for New Tires
on page 5-55 and Wheel Replacement
on page 5-58 for more information.
Make sure the spare tire
is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try
to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves,
use the wheel wrench to tighten the cable. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-62.
5-53

The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. See “Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,” in Section
6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the
Certificationnire label. Make certain that
all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque”
under
Capacities and Specifications on page 5-93.
Rust c. dirt or. - wheel, or on the parts to
which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after a time.
The wheel could
come
off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust
or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to the vehicle.
In an emergency, you can use a cloth or
a
paper towel to do this; but be sure to use a
scraper
or wire brush later, if you need to, to
get
all the rust or dirt off. See “Changing a Flat
Tire” in the Index.
5-54

lire Chains
Accessory Inflator
I^
Do.. - use tire ch-..ls. There’s no- _.__ugh
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle without
the proper amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension or other
vehicle parts. The area damaged by the tire
chains could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle and you or others may be injured
in a
crash. Use another type of traction device only if
its manufacturer recommends it for use on
your vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the device
if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices
that will fit, install them on the rear tires. Your
vehicle may be equipped with an air inflator
system. You can inflate things like basketballs and
bicycle tires.
Also, you can use it to bring your tire
pressure up to the proper pressure. It is not designed to
inflate large objects which will require more than five
minutes to inflate, such as an air mattress.
To remove the cover, pull the two tabs on the cover and
pull
it off.
The air inflator kit may be located in the glove
compartment. The kit includes a
22 ft (6.7 m) hose with
three nozzle adapters.
5-60

Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services
which should be performed at the intervals specified to
help ensure the safety, dependability and emission
control performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part
D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. See Engine Oil on page 5-13 for further
details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture
if necessary. See Engine Coolant
on page 5-22
for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the windshield
washer tank and add the proper fluid
if necessary.
See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-33 for further
details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tries are inflated to the correct pressures.
Don’t forget to check your spare tire. See
Tires on
page 5-52
for further details.
Cassette Tape Player Service
Clean cassette tape player. Cleaning should be done
every
50 hours of tape play. See Audio Systern(s)
on page 3-56 for further details.
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